Australia: Shorten anybody who objects to homosexual marriage are haters who hide under rocks
Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has been accused of intolerance and "brutal" language towards people opposed to same-sex marriage, in a confrontation with a rector outside a church service this morning.
Mr Shorten was among politicians attending the service to mark the start of the parliamentary year.
The Labor leader is a vocal advocate of same-sex marriage, but has raised concerns a plebiscite would be divisive and encourage the vilification of same-sex couples.
Rector Ian Powell, from a Canberra Anglican church, took the opportunity to raise concerns about Labor's approach.
"You described people who weren't in favour of changing the definition of marriage as 'haters who come out from under rock'. Can I ask you not to speak like that?" he said.
Mr Shorten said he was not being quoted accurately and did not want to be hectored. "People of faith can be opposed to marriage equality, but some people who object to marriage equality do have homophobic attitudes," he said.